Gas engine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. L.'H. NASH.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 334,039. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

(No Model.)

, 3 sheet'sfsheet 2 L. E. NASH.

GAS ENGINE.

. Patented Jah. 12, l886.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. L. H. NASH.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 334,039. Patented Ja.11.12, 1886.

WITJvEssEs Nrrsn STATES LEWIS HA LLOOK NASH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL METER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,039, dated January 12,1886.

Application filed August 20, 1885. Serial No.174,893. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, Lnwis HALLooK NAsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

My invention is directed to the production of a double-acting gas-engine of single-acting ro cylinders placed in line in which the gaseous mixture is ignited at each end of every stroke, whereby a double-ended plunger may be used to receive the impulses of the explosions in both cylinders at both the forward and backr 5 ward movements ofthe double-ended plunger.

The objects of my improvements are to ignite the charge in a highly-heated combustion` chamber, and at the same time provide for a comparatively cool condition of the wearing- Qc surfaces of the plunger and the valve, so as to be lubricated in the ordinary manner, to provide very compact operating connect-ions for a double-ended plunger operated in a right line, and driving a connection moving in a curvilinear line, by the combined action of tw-o single-acting cylinders, whereby to obtain a rotary or a rectilinear movement, or both, from the movement ofthe double-ended plunger, to operate a crank-shaft and an air- 3o compression piston,working parallel with the double-ended plunger.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section of a doubleactinggas-engine of singlelacting cylinders, embracing my improvements, Fig. 2, an elevation ofthe same, showing one supply and a mixing valve for the combustible fuel in section. Fig. 3 shows in section the connection ofthe suppl y-valve case 4o with the combustion-chamloer. Fig. 4: represents a horizontal section of what I call the mixing-valve of the compression-cylinder, showing the inlet-passages for the gas and air, and the valve-connection with the compres sionchamber.

The engine-frame A supports separa-te and distinct single-acting trunk-cylinders placed in the same horizontal line,within which operates a double-ended plunger, B; B2, preferably cast in one piece,which has an opening, B3, in the middle of its length, to receive the operating connection between the cylinders. The bearingcylinders A' A2 for the doubleended plunger are comparatively short and are provided with suitable packing-rings for maintaining a joint for the plunger, and constructed with a jacket, XV, for the circulation of water for lowering the temperature of its wearing-surfaces. The combustionchambers C C2 for each cylinder are formed by sepa- 6o rate cylindrical caps or extensions D D2, the inner walls of which do not touch the plungertrunks, and they may be externally covered with a non-conducting covering, D, and it is by this construction that I obtain a hot combastion-chamber with a comparatively cool bearing-cylinder. The engine-valve cases .I are mounted directly upon the hot combus. tion-chamber caps D DZ and are provided each with cooling jackets W', which do not 7o modify the temperature of the combustionchambers. The waterjackets of the cylinders and of the valves may connect for a continuous flow, or they may have separate supply and discharge pipes. The valve-case is bolted to the combustion-chamber, so that very little heat from the latter will be communicated to t-he former, and a small cooling- 'jacket will be sufficient for the valve-case.

A compressioncylinder, HT, is placed in the 8o frame, preferably beneath one of the powercylinders, for compressing the charge for the engine. It is provided with a suitable air and gas inlet valve-such as that shown at L in Fi g. Z-and asuitable dischargevalve-such as S 5 that shown at 7L in .Fig l--by which the compressed products are discharged from the compressor into a reservoir, A3, by the pipe-connections A", from whence the charges are conveyed by the pipes A5 to the supply-valves 9c placed at J. The reservoir A is formed in the base of the frame, preferably beneath the compressor. The power-transmitting shaft I is mounted in the frame beneath the other cylinder, and the connections of this shaft, the air-compressor piston, and the plunger I will now describe. These three things are connected to a rocker-arm, G, which is pivoted at g to the foot of the frame, and, rising from said pivot, passes at its upper end into Ico the opening B3 in the double-ended hollow plunger, to which it is connected by means of separate and distinct plunger-rods between the bearing-cylinders of the plungers` so as t0 drive the rocker-arm back and forth with the movement of the pistons. Between lthe pivot ofthe rocker-arm and its connection with the double-ended plunger, the crankshaft and the air-compressor piston are connected to the rocker-arm by connecting-rods a b, standing in opposite directions` so that the back and forth movements of the rocker-arm G will drive thepiston Hof the air-compressor on one side of the rocker-arm and drive the crank-shaft I on its opposite side. This places the rocker-arm between the power-cylinder, the air-compressor, and the crank-shaft in a compact arrangement to utilize the rectilinear movement of the double ended plunger.

As the rocker-arm describes the are of a circle struck from its pivot, it is necessary to provide connections with the double-ended plunger to accommodate such movement with the least amount of friction, and for4 this purpose I prefer to use connecting-rods a and b with rolling or rocking bearings c c, and provide for taking up the wear oi' such bearings by making one of the latter adjustable in the head of the rocker-arm by means of a key, d, or other suitable means. The double-ended plunger is a single hollow cylinder provided at each end with a suitable piston-head, e, and has an opening or slot, B3, in the middle of its length to receive the rockerarm and permit its connection and adjustment with the plunger connecting-rods. These rocker-bearing connections, which I prefer to use, require no lubrication, and reduce the friction of the piston-rod jointstoa minimum. The separate and independent connecting-rods operate in the same plane, and by having abutting bearings upon the plunger-heads and upon the rocker-arm they act as a single con n ecting-rod to transmit the power of the double-plunger to the i'ockerai'm, to drive its non-pivoted end back and forth, and through its connectingrod D drive the crank-shaft I to transmit the power, and by the connecting-rod E operate the air-compressor piston H to compress the charge for the engine.

By providing comparatively small bearingcylinders for the double-ended trunk-plunger I am enabled lo use comparatively long caps to form separate chambers for the combustion of the charge. 'Ihese short cylinders are provided at their open ends with bearing-rings f, for taking up the wear of the trunk-plunger, while the inner end of the cylinder has pack ingrings f2 at itsjunction with t-he cap for forming tight joint. The plunger works through a comparatively cool bearing-cylinder into a hot combustion-chamber formed by the separate cap, the inner walls of which have a clearance-space, h, around the plunger, so' that it has no contact with the combustion-chamber proper. This construction permits the combustion-chamber to become very hot, in order that the gases may lose no heat while doing their work, while the bearing part of the plunger will work in a comparatively cool cylinder. I prefer to place the valve-case J at the end ofthe cylinder-cap and provide it with a cooling-jacket, as stated. The provision ofa short bearing-cylinder for the plunger, having a cooling-jacket independent of the cap forming the.combustiori-chamber, having no cooling-jacket and no contact with the plunger, and a valve-chamber having a cooling-jacket, rives the advantage of a hot chamber for the coinbustion of the charge and comparatively cool Wearing-surfaces for the rubbing parts, so as to be lubricated, whereby the gases are burned in a very hot combustionchamber, and little heat is abstracted by the walls of the cylinder, and a great saving in power is therebyobtained. The supply-valves for the combustion-chambers are operated by the connecting-rodsf and controlled by a governor device carried by the balance-wheel, and the mixing-valve for the compressioncylinder is operated and controlled by the connecting-rod Z and cam Z2; but as these matters do not form part of my present invention a particular description of these parts is therefore deemed unnecessary. The aircompression cylinder is also provided with a cooling-jacket, WV", which may be continuous with the cylinder-jacket, as shown. The reservoir A is for the storage of a uniform mixture of gas and air, and it is from this reservoir that the power-cylinders are directly supplied by the valves through the pipe-connections A* and (Shown in Fig. 2.)

In Fig. 4 the mixing-valve connection with the compressor is shown by the passage i in the cylinder-head, while the air-passage is shown at j, and passage for the gas is shown at 7c, so that as the valve L is reciprocated a certain portion ot .air will be sucked into the cylinder and a certain portion of gas will also pass therein.

An important advantage in my double-acting gas-engine is in combining two open-ended cylinders with a single double-ended plunger, so as to avoid the necessity for stuffing-boxes for either cylinder and maintain cool pistonconnections, as contradistinguishcd from a double-acting gas-engine having a piston-rod extending through one of the combust-ionchambers, which is exposed to the intense heat of the gas and must work in stuffingboxes.

I have shown and described a short bearingcylinder for the plunger-trunk and a comparatively long cap forming com bustion-chamber and joint-forming rings secured in the short cylinder, and it is by this construction that I obtain the advantage of a long hot combustion and a short bearing cylinder, greatly lessening the weight and expense ofthe engine, and also the advantage of avoiding the expense of forming a perfectly-true cylinder, since the packing-rings form thejoint upon the plungertrunk.

The specific construction of bearing-pin con- IIO having rolling or rocking bearings is not claimed herein, as such devices are made the subject of' separate and distinct applications forpatents made by me.

I have stated the advantages of a short coniparatively cool bearing-cylinder having a separate cap forming combustion chamber having a greater interior diameter than the bearingcylinder, and joint-forming rings in the said short cylinder, and it will be seen that such construction gives a bearing-cylinder much shorter than the stroke of the engine, and that a long plunger works within a long combustion-chamber which is maintained at a high heat.

I claim-e 1. rlhe combination, in a gas-engine, of a double-ended plunger with bearing-cylinders therefor placed in line,having coolingjackets and separate combustion-chambers formed of non-jacketed cylinder-caps having their inner walls free of contact with the plunger-trunks, and suitable operating connections for the double-ended plunger and power-transmitting crank, substantially for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a gas-engine, of-a double-acting piston or plunger with a combustion-cylinder chamber for each end of said plunger, and a pivoted rocker-arm having suitable connections with the said plunger between the open ends of said cylinder-chambers, and suitable connections with the crank-shaft between the plunger and pivot of said rockerarm, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a gas engine, of a bearing-cylinderhaving a water-coolingjacket and a combustion-chamber formed thereon by a separate cap, with an induction-valve case having a water-jacket mounted upon the hot combustion-chamber, whereby the bearingcylinder and the `supply-valve are prevented from being unduly heated while the combustion-chamber is maintained highly heated,

substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4:. ln combination, in a gas-engine, a bearing-cylinder, a plunger, a separate cap forniing combustion -chamber, and joint -forming rings having a bearing upon said plunger', the said cylinder having a length less than the stroke of the engine,the said cap forming combastion-chamber having an interior diameter greater than that of the plunger, to allow the latter to operate therein, and maintained at a greater heat than said cylinder, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the bearing-cylinders placed in line and separate cap forming conibustion-chambers, with a double-end plunger, the separate plunger connecting-rods a b, and an air-compression cylinder arranged parallel with the bearingcylinder, with a pivoted rockerarm, G, connecting said plunger between the open ends of said cylinders, the crank-shaft connecting-rod D, and compressor connecting-rod E, whereby the combined power ofthe cylinders is transmitted in a rotary niotion for the crank shaft and a reciprocating motion for the compressor, substantially as described.

6. rlhe combination of the power trunkcylinders arranged in line, the double-ended plunger, and the rockerarm, with the connecting-rods D and E, the compression-cylinder, the storage-chamber, the engine supplyvalves, and the supplyconnections for the charge for both cylinders, substantially as described.

7. A gasengine composed of two powercylinders placed in line. each having a com bustion chamber, and a rigid double ended piston or plunger having power-transmitting connections adapted to rock upon contactbearings upon each piston-head and upon the said power connections, substantially as described.

8. rllhe combination, in a gas-engine, of two power cylinders placed in line, and a piston or plunger for each cylinder rigidly connect-ed, having power-transmitting connections adapted to rock upon contact-bearings at their points of connection, and a compressionpump connected with said pistonrocking connections, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, in a gasengine, of a double-ended plunger, with bearing-cylinders therefor placed in line, and separate combustion-chambers formed of cylinder-caps having their inner walls free of contact with the plunger-trunks, and suitable operating-connections for the double -ended plunger and power-transmittin g crank, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

10. The combination, in a gas-engine, of two power-cylinders placed in line, andjointed connected pistons or plnngers for each cylinder, with au independent cylinder and piston arranged below one of said power-cylinders, a power-transmitting shaft arranged below the other power-cylinder, and suitable connections for the moving parts, substantially as described.

11. The combination, in a gas-engine,of two short bearing-cylinders arranged in line, with a piston or plunger for each cylinder, having a stroke greater than the length of said cylinder, a combustion chamber forming cap for each cylinder, and suitable operating-connections for said plungers, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

12. rllhe combination, in a gas-engine,of two power-cylinders placed in line, and connected pistons or plungers for each cylinder, with a storage supply-chamber, and suitable supplyconnections for the charge for both cylinders, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the power-cylinders,each having a combustion-chamber placed in line and asepa'rate piston foreach cylinder, of a connecting-rod device for said pistons, consisting of separate and independent connecting-rods, and a vibratable or rocking arm IOO having bearing-surfaces for the abutting ends of said connecting-rods, substantially as de scribed, for the purpose specified.

l-L. The combination, with the power-cylinders placed in line and a piston for eaeh eylinder, of a rocking or Vibratable arm having bearing-seats on opposite sides, and independent connecting-rodshaving rolling or rocking contactseats upon the vibretable arm and upon the pistons, substantially as described, for

, the purpose specified.

15. The combination, with the power-cylinders placed in line' and 2L piston for eaeh cylinder rigidly eonnected,of a pivoted armhav- .i

ing its nonpivoted end entering an open Way in said rigid piston connection at or about the j middle ofits length,provded with curved bearings on opposite sides, and independent con- 

